Senator Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, says that Republican lawmakers in his chamber have expressed support in voting for a War Powers Resolution following President Donald Trump’s authorization to strike three Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday.

Newsweek has reached out to Kaine’s office via email for comment.

Why It Matters

Trump on Saturday evening announced what he described as a “very successful attack” against three Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

The president’s decision came after Israel and Iran have exchanged consistent strikes since June 13. Israel had urged the U.S. to target Iran’s nuclear facilities, saying that Tehran was moving close to creating a nuclear weapon. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes—not for weapons.

The strikes have sparked concerns from some Democrats and some Republicans about a wider war breaking out—with some lawmakers accusing the president of violating the U.S. Constitution with the strikes.

Kaine’s resolution pending in the Senate has been mimicked in the U.S. House of Representatives, where Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna of California introduced a resolution last Tuesday.

What To Know

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 was enacted to limit the president’s ability to commit U.S. armed forces to hostilities abroad without congressional consent.

Kaine told Punchbowl News on Monday that he is privy to Senate GOP support of his resolution, saying that lawmakers have expressed interest in signing off on whether Congress and not just the president should have a say to attack other nations.

“I know I will have Republican support. How much is unclear,” Kaine said. “The day-to-day events will affect this…This is a very evolving situation.”

A vote that requires a simple majority for passage is expected to happen before the chamber’s July 4 recess, the senator added.

Kaine’s latest remarks come one day after he told Shannon Bream on Fox News Sunday that Trump’s order to strike Iran went beyond traditional protocols outlined in the Constitution and gives him “grave concern.”

“It’s unconstitutional for a president to initiate a war like this without Congress,” Kaine said on Sunday. “Every member of Congress needs to vote on this.”

It harkens back to the politics that led to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Kaine added, saying the present moment mirrors two decades ago when a Republican president and administration gave “false information” about Iraq’s weapons program.

What People Are Saying

Senator Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, said in a press release: “It is not in our national security interest to get into a war with Iran unless that war is absolutely necessary to defend the United States. I am deeply concerned that the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran could quickly pull the United States into another endless conflict.”

Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, said in a statement: “Stopping Iran from having a nuclear bomb is a top priority, but dragging the U.S. into another Middle East war is not the solution. Trump’s strikes are unconstitutional and put Americans, especially our troops, at risk. Congress needs to come back to DC immediately to vote on Rep. Thomas Massie and my bipartisan War Powers Resolution to ensure there is no further conflict and escalation. Americans want diplomacy, not more costly wars. We need to deescalate and pursue a path of peace.”

Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday: “I introduced a War Powers Resolution on Tuesday, while Congress was on vacation. We would have had plenty of time to debate and vote on this.”

What Happens Next?

Along with the resolutions introduced by Kaine, and jointly by Massie and Khanna, other lawmakers are also reportedly going to introduce similar war powers legislation.

Democratic Representatives Gregory Meeks of New York, Adam Smith of Washington, and Jim Himes of Connecticut—ranking members of the Foreign Affairs, Armed Services and Intelligence committees, respectively—are drafting their own War Powers resolution, according to Punchbowl.

Also, 12 Democrats in the House—all military veterans—sent a letter to the White House on Monday, asserting congressional authority over war powers.

In response to the U.S. strikes on Iran, the country’s foreign minister said Iran reserves “all options to defend its sovereignty.” The U.S. military is preemptively preparing for any attack from Tehran.